Russia detains dozens at protest supporting Rohingya - AFP

The square in the city centre was surrounded with police vans and policemen were leading people away into the vans, an AFP correspondent at the scene said, counting over 100 detained at the unauthorised demonstration.

"Our brothers are being detained! Why are Muslims always to blame, why are they detaining us?" one protester shouted.

"Why can't we express ourselves," complained another protester, Makhmud, 45. "We are worried about what is happening with our brothers in Myanmar."